Let Me In
by robertwnielsen
Summary: String is facing an anniversary alone.  Can Caitlin convince him to share his pain, and in the process, change his mind about her?
1. Chapter 1

_Let Me In_

A/N #1 – I don't own the characters...either Bellisario or Universal does. But since _they _won't play with these characters anymore, I do every now and then.

A/N #2 – This is an original idea, in a similar vein to _I Want To Help. _But, the premise is a little different, due to the anniversary involved. The events of _I Want To Help _have not occurred, but the time frame is some time after the S3 opener, _Horn of Plenty_.

_Summary – _String is facing an anniversary alone. Can Caitlin convince him to share his pain, and in the process, change his mind about her?

"What's wrong, Hawke?" Caitlin O'Shannessy asked her friend and co-worker, Stringfellow Hawke, one morning when he arrived at the Santini Air hangar. She had noticed him becoming more and more withdrawn over the past few days, and was becoming worried about him. _Especially with Dom gone,_ Caitlin said to herself worriedly, knowing that Hawke's friend and their boss, Dominic Santini, was away on business. Hawke didn't even acknowledge that she'd spoken to him, which concerned Caitlin even more. _Something's wrong with him, _Caitlin said to herself, _and I'm gonna find out what it is._

"Huh? Oh...it's nothing, Cait," Hawke mumbled. _I can't let her know what's going on in my head,_ he said to himself. _Besides...it's none of her business._

"Okay, Hawke...if you say so," Caitlin replied, downcast. _If you think I believe that for one second, buddy boy, you've got another think coming! I'm gonna figure out what's bugging you, if it takes me the rest of the day._

During the day, Hawke became, if possible, even more withdrawn, which caused Caitlin to become more and more worried. Finally, while Hawke ran an errand away from the hangar, Caitlin went into the office and began looking through the calendar.

_Let's see here. Dom's birthday, String's birthday, Oh, there's mine. Hope Hawke remembers this year. Michael's, Marella's, Saint John's, h mm. Nothing here that would have him this upset. Wait a sec, what's this? _She noticed a date circled in black, with the initials "A&J, D" printed below it. _A & J, D? What is that about? _Caitlin said to herself worriedly.

_Wait a second, _Caitlin said to herself. _What did Hawke tell us before? Something about his parents, I think. Yeah. Alan and Jane. And, I've seen their pictures on the wall back at the cabin. _Satisfied that she'd unraveled that part of the mystery, Caitlin began wondering what the 'D' stood for.

_A&J, okay, that much I get, _Caitlin said to herself, _but what about—? Wait a second—_She jumped as she heard the office door open.

"What are you doing, Cait?" Hawke glared at his co-worker, and, he had to admit, good friend.

"Hawke. I didn't hear you come back. I was—I was just looking at the calendar to see if we had any shoots scheduled this week. Looks like we're clear, though," she said with a smile, albeit a forced one.

"Not surprising," Stringfellow replied in a huff, walking over to check the calendar himself. "Business has been down for a while, you know."

"Yeah, I know, Hawke," Caitlin said, stepping away from the desk. _That date's tomorrow,_ Caitlin said to herself. _I've gotta do something. But _**what? **_Well, first things first. I've gotta figure out _**why **_that date's circled on the calendar. I mean, it's got something to do with Hawke's parents, that much is obvious, but I don't know that much about them other than the fact that they died in an accident on the lake, when he was twelve. Well, maybe Dom's got something about it somewhere around here. _ Then, Caitlin's thoughts turned back to Stringfellow, and her feelings about him.

For months, Caitlin had been wishing that Hawke would get his head out of his ass, and realize her feelings towards him. _How do I get him to understand that I—I love him? _She had asked herself that same question on more than one occasion. She was surprised at the depth of her feelings for Hawke, but she realized that she had loved him for a long time. _He's just so consumed by this curse he thinks he has. But why can't he understand that accidents happen, for cryin' out loud? _Caitlin knew they had had this discussion on numerous occasions before, and so bringing it up again would no doubt anger Hawke. _Gabrielle, fine. I understand about Hawke thinking her death was his fault, but I got the impression that this Moffet character would have killed her, whether she and Hawke were seeing each other, or not. _

She recalled the conversations she'd had with Dominic about Gabrielle. _I never thought Gabrielle was Hawke's type, _Caitlin remembered saying. _He needs someone more like—more like _**me.**_Someone who ain't afraid to take the bull by the horns, and someone who can take care of herself. Of course, I know Gabrielle had self-defense training—just like we did in the Highway Patrol. Still..._Caitlin couldn't shake the thought that Gabrielle hadn't been prepared for what happened with Moffet, both because Archangel sent her by surprise, after Angela was murdered, and because Moffet, like some of the criminals Caitlin had fought with the Texas Highway Patrol, didn't always fight fair.

"Cait?" Hawke asked. He'd noticed her expression change from concern to frustration. "Hey, Cait...where were you just now?"

"What? I'm sorry, Hawke," Caitlin said, shaking her head. "I just spaced out there for a second. What were you saying?"

"I was saying, Cait, that maybe we should think about what we're doing the rest of the week," Hawke said, confused. "Dom won't be back until Monday, and I can't imagine he'd be too happy about us being here with no business."

_I think I know what he's thinking, _Cait said to herself. Out loud, she said, "Well, I guess that would be okay, Hawke. But I have to tell you, I'd miss you," she watched Hawke's face for any reaction.

"Oh, Cait. You could get along without me for a couple of days, couldn't you?" Hawke said, shaking his head. "After all, we usually spend our weekends apart."

_And it drives me crazy, _Caitlin said to herself. She forced herself not to tell Hawke exactly what she thought of his statement. _I hate not seeing you from Friday afternoon until Monday. And, today's only Wednesday. If I don't see you until next week, I don't know what I'll do. _Caitlin found she had to bite her lip to keep from crying, and hoped Hawke hadn't noticed.

"Cait? You okay?" Hawke asked. He glanced over at his friend, and noticed her eyes filling with tears. _What'd I say?_ He couldn't imagine anything he'd said recently that would have produced this sort of reaction from Caitlin. _I'm sure glad Dom's not here,_ Hawke said to himself. _Otherwise, I'd never hear the end of this._

_Dang it. __H__e noticed. _"Oh, it's nothing, String," Caitlin said to him as she furiously wiped at her eyes. "Just...thinking, that's all."

_Aha. Right. And, I'm Gen. Douglas MacArthur, _Hawke said to himself. _Something's bothering you, Cait, and I'm going to find out what._ "Are you sure?" He asked, looking into her eyes, and noticing something for the first time. _Her eyes are beautiful. How come I never noticed that before?_

"Yeah, Hawke. I'm sure," Caitlin said, more forcefully than she'd intended. She'd noticed him staring into her eyes, more intensely than she could recall, and without the aviator shades he always wore, so she could look directly into his piercing, ice-blue eyes. _What is with him? He's never looked at me like that before. And—his eyes—are gorgeous. I swear, I could get lost in those eyes. And, if I'm not careful, I will. _She quickly averted her gaze away from Hawke.

"Anyway, so we're gonna close up the hangar, and then I'll see you Monday?" Hawke asked.

"Yeah. I guess so," Caitlin replied, crestfallen. They quickly closed down the hangar, and Hawke boarded a chopper to head back to the cabin. As the chopper lifted off, Caitlin said to herself, _Not if I have anything to say about it, Stringfellow Hawke. If you think I'm gonna let you stew in that cabin for the next five days, then my friend, you've got another think coming. One way or the other, I'm gonna figure out what's been bugging you, and maybe, I can help, if you'll let me._

Going back into the office, Caitlin got into the personnel files, and opened the folder marked "Hawke, S." and began thumbing through the papers. Finally, she realized she'd have to do some extra digging. _The library should have what I'm looking for, _Caitlin said to herself as she put the file away, then locked up the office and headed for home, after she made a stop at the library. _Well. Now I know what that "D" stands for, That's the date Hawke's parents died. Now I understand why he's been acting the way he has the last few days. I know he's not gonna appreciate it, but tomorrow, _she said to herself, _I'm gonna be there for Hawke. And, this is gonna sound awful selfish of me, but maybe—just maybe—by bein' there for String tomorrow, I can get him to understand how much I love him._

The next morning, Hawke found himself standing in front of two graves. He stroked the top of both stones, tears in his eyes.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," he said sadly, unaware he was not alone. "It's been another year and I miss you as much now, as I ever have. We still haven't found Saint John, but I still think we will," Hawke said to the air, wiping a tear from his face. Caitlin stood behind a tree a few feet away, close enough to allow her to hear what Hawke was saying, but out of his line of sight. _If I can just stay quiet,_ she said to herself, _he'll never know I'm here._

"No, Dad. There's nobody," Hawke was saying, as if in answer to an unspoken question. "I mean, Caitlin's a good friend, and all, but..." He left the rest of the sentence unspoken, and Caitlin had to grip the branches above her head to keep from storming out and confronting Hawke. _'Cause if I went out there now, I'd tear his head off, I'm so danged mad,_ Caitlin said to herself when she heard String say, "there's nobody...", but she calmed down when he added, "Caitlin's a good friend and all, but..."

_Well, at least he thinks of me as a good friend, _Caitlin said to herself, and relaxed a little. _I guess I can wait a little longer before I give him a piece of my mind. _She glanced back towards Hawke as she heard him continue.

"I know, Dad," Hawke continued. "I know I shouldn't spend my life alone. And, I do care about Caitlin, maybe a lot more than she realizes." Caitlin caught her breath at that statement, and recalled her words to Dominic a few weeks earlier, when Hawke had been kidnapped by John Bradford Horn. Dom had insisted that _he, alone, _would deliver Airwolf, per Hawke's videotaped instructions, but Caitlin had said, _"Dom. __**Don't**__ do that to me. I care about him, too, you know. _**Probably more than you know." **She was shocked to hear Hawke saying almost the same thing about her. _Well, I know now, _Cait said to herself, _at least I know he cares. But __the question is—does __he care about me the same way __**I **__care about __**him?**__ Does he—__love me—the same way__ I love him?_ Caitlin asked herself, taking several deep breaths to calm herself, and hoping String couldn't hear her.

"It's not like that, Mom," Hawke was saying, and Caitlin wondered what he could be thinking as he continued. "I can't risk giving my heart to Caitlin, or _anybody, _with the curse I have," Hawke was saying. "I mean you and Dad, Kelly, all dead. And we don't know what's going on with Saint John., and everybody seems to think that he's dead, too. I can't—I can't lose Cait, like I've lost everybody else," Hawke whispered, not knowing the effects his words were having. "If—if there was just some way I could be sure..."

_That does it!__ I've heard enough, _Caitlin said to herself as she stepped out from behind the tree and advanced towards Hawke. "If there was some way you could be sure about _what, _Hawke?" She demanded.

"Caitlin? What—how—what the hell are you doing here?" Hawke spluttered, angry and confused all at the same time._ How the hell did she find out? _Hawke knew the date was marked on Dom's calendar back at the hangar. _But, she had to find out where I'd be, somehow._

"Hawke, I admit I snooped the files after you left yesterday to find out all the details about today," Caitlin said, nervously, as she walked towards him, and stopped when she got within arm's length of him. "And, I went to the library after work to find out where your parents are buried. But I did it—I did it because—because I care. I care about you, String," Caitlin said, and he was startled at her use of his first name. _She never calls me 'String,' _Hawke said to himself, feeling his anger lessening gradually.

"String, you shouldn't be alone today," Caitlin continued, reaching towards him to put a hand on his shoulder, and smiling when he didn't draw back. "Believe me, it's a lot easier to deal with things like this when you have someone to share them with. And, I never told you this before, but I know how you feel."

"How the hell do you know how I feel?" Hawke demanded. "Your parents weren't taken away from you when you were only twelve years old!"

"My father was," Caitlin retorted, noticing Hawke's expression change from anger to puzzlement. "Haven't you ever wondered why I never talk about Daddy, Hawke? And, why I don't go home on Christmas, or Thanksgiving?"

"I guess—I guess so," Hawke admitted.

"I don't talk about him for the same reason you don't talk about your parents much," Caitlin said. "It—it hurts too much, remembering Daddy and knowing all the things he never got to see. He—he never got to see me graduate high school, or college. He never got to meet you and Dom, or hear about my job..." Caitlin's voice broke and she began to cry. Not knowing what else to do, Hawke wrapped her in his arms and allowed her to cry, knowing that this might be the best thing he could possibly do. After a few minutes, he noticed Caitlin raise her head from his shoulder and look into his eyes again.

"Cait, I never..." Hawke stammered, not knowing what to say. Finally, he settled on, "When?"

"Christmas Eve, Hawke," Caitlin said, her voice quavering. "Daddy had been sick for a while, but that night, we had just finished opening gifts and were getting ready for Midnight Mass, and Daddy had a heart attack. Mom called the paramedics, and I gave him CPR, but they took too long getting to the house. By the time they got there, he—he was gone," she said sadly.

"Cait, I'm sorry," Hawke said, and he hoped she could tell that meant it. "I guess—I guess you do know what it's like to lose someone you love, don't you?"

"Yeah, Hawke. Maybe I didn't lose both my parents, like you did, but I know how it feels," Caitlin said stubbornly.

"And that explains why you get the way you do around Christmas time," Hawke said, recalling last Christmas, when Caitlin seemed to bounce from serious Christmas overdrive, to a serious Christmas depression. "Why didn't you tell Dom and me this, before?"

"Simple. Neither one of ya asked," Caitlin said with a smile, and Hawke knew she was right. _We never did ask. _

"What can I say, Caitlin? I—I'm sorry," Hawke said, knowing those few words wouldn't take all of her pain away.

"Thanks, String. I guess it just goes to prove that you're not the only one who's ever lost anybody," Caitlin said, and Hawke had to grudgingly admit, she was right.

"Well?" Caitlin demanded, her expression changing to her familiar million-dollar smile.

"Well, what?" Hawke answered, not knowing what she was driving at.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your parents?" Caitlin said with a grin.

"Well," Hawke hesitated, then smiled and said, "Sure, I guess so. Mom, Dad, this is Cait, the girl I was telling you about," Hawke said as Caitlin stepped forward, and laid one hand on each of the headstones._ Well, here goes nothing—__and everything, _Caitlin said to herself.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hawke. My name is Caitlin and..." She paused, not sure what she was going to say. Then, a wave of confidence overtook her, and she finished her sentence. "And, I love your son," she blurted out, ignoring Hawke's startled expression. "I've loved him ever since I met him, and I always will." Calmly, she stepped away from the headstones and turned back to Hawke.

"That's something else I've never told you," Caitlin said, gazing deeply into his eyes. "And, you still haven't answered my question. 'If there was some way you could be sure'...about _what, _Hawke?"

Hawke stood, dumbfounded by the confession he'd just heard. "Cait. I was saying, 'if there was some way I could be sure I wouldn't lose you.' That's what I started to say. I just, I can't give my heart to you like I did with Kelly, and Gabrielle, if I'm just going to lose you, like I lost them." He hung his head, embarrassed that this revelation had come out, especially here of all places.

"Hawke. Look at me," Caitlin ordered him. "Dammit, I said, '_look at me.'" _She forced Hawke to look her in the eyes as she continued."Hawke, please. Just let me in. In case you've forgotten, _I_ was the one who saved you from Horn." Hawke had to admit that he did remember, albeit vaguely, how Caitlin had come into his room and, after a short fight, injected him with the antidote that counteracted the drugs Horn had used to brainwash him.

"And," she continued, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, in case you haven't noticed." Hawke had to admit that yes, Caitlin had gotten herself out of several potentially deadly situations recently, especially the way she had saved the helicopter after the fight with Holly Matthews, Dom's crazed niece, when Holly had tried to murder Caitlin the previous year. _Yeah, we kept the missiles off her tail, but if she weren't as good of a pilot as she is, she never would've been able to pull ole' 4-4 Charlie out of that spin. And, when Villers tried to shoot her down, she evaded some of those Sidewinders without our help. _

"I mean, let's face it, Hawke," Caitlin continued, choosing her words carefully. "We don't know what tomorrow might bring. You could be killed doing a stunt, or something else, or I could buy it in a car wreck on the way to the hangar some morning, not to mention that confounded pocket rocket motorcycle you ride, without a helmet, I might add; and we'd never know what we might have together, if you just let me in. Nobody knows what the future holds, Hawke. You have to live every day as it comes. And personally," she said with a longing gaze into Hawke's eyes, "I'd rather spend those days, however many there are, with you."

"I—um—I don't know what to say, Cait," Hawke stammered, and he knew it was the truth. Suddenly, he felt something—a change in the air, as if something were settling around them. Hawke realized that what he was feeling was the lifting of the burden of the past few years from his heart. Replacing those feelings, Hawke felt a deep, abiding love for Caitlin surfacing. _It's always been there,_ Hawke realized. _But, I've been too stupid to realize it until now. _"Cait? There's...there's something I need to tell you."

She looked up at him, hope shining in her blue-green eyes. "Yes, String?"

Hawke smiled, a warm, loving smile that nearly took Caitlin's breath away as he wrapped her in his arms. "I love you, Caitlin O'Shannessy," Hawke said, feeling the tears well up in his eyes.

"String, I love you, too," Caitlin said, just before he claimed her lips with his own. They shared a deep, tender and loving kiss, even more intense than the one they'd shared at the studio a year ago. In fact, Caitlin swore to herself that her brain was short-circuiting. _And, my toes are curling again...that, I know,_ she said to herself. _And I'm tellin' you something right now, God. __I__f Heaven doesn't feel just like this—__the __feelin' I have right now, bein' in String's arms, and bein' kissed by him the way I've always wanted him to kiss me—then, I'm not coming!_

Finally, after what felt to her like far too long, but at the same time not nearly long enough, she broke the kiss and pulled back, gazing into Hawke's eyes again.

"Thank you, Caitlin," Hawke said sincerely.

"For what?" She asked, not knowing exactly what he meant.

"For being here today, and for what you just told me," Hawke answered her as he pulled her close to him again. "And, I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how I felt about you."

"String, it's _okay," _Caitlin told him, and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "I understand, and, I forgive you. I'm just...I'm just glad we don't have any more secrets, you know?"

"Yeah," Hawke replied as they held each other. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Well, first," Caitlin said, "I think we should say our good-byes, and then..." her eyes twinkled happily as she turned to the gravestones, laid a hand on each of them once again, and said, "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Hawke, for giving me the courage to do what I did today. And, don't worry—I'll never hurt String—and I'm going to help Dom take care of him from now on," she vowed.

"I guess there's not much more I can say," Hawke said as he laid his hands on top of Caitlin's, "except that I'll never hurt Cait, either. And, I'll...wait," he said, glancing at their hands, "I mean—_we'll _see you next year." _And if I have anything to say about it, _Hawke said to himself as he took Caitlin's hand and they began walking towards her car, _when we come back next year, it will be as husband and wife._

"By the way, Cait," Hawke began hesitantly, "you never told me what made you tear up like that at the hangar yesterday."

"Doesn't matter now, Hawke," Caitlin replied, smiling at him. "But if you absolutely need to know, I was sad at the thought of not seeing you again until Monday morning back at the hangar, and that's why I was tearing up."

_Aw, Cait_, Hawke said to himself. Aloud, he said, "Well, that doesn't matter anymore. I think I'm safe in saying this—we're gonna be seeing a lot more of each other away from work."

"I'm glad, String," Caitlin replied as she snuggled against him, and she smiled up at him, the million-dollar smile that he was so in love with.

**The Cabin, Monday morning**

"Mornin', Dom!" String called out as he climbed into Dom's chopper to head to the hangar, a grin plastered across his face.

"Mornin', String," Dom replied, suddenly feeling anxious. _Something's going on with him, _Dom said to himself. _He's never this happy._ "You okay? Something seems different about you today."

"Different? Whataya mean, Dom?" Hawke queried, an innocent look on his face.

"Oh, I dunno, String...maybe the fact that you're wearing a grin that looks like it needs to be _surgically removed,_" Dom chided his friend. "Not that I'm complaining...I've gotta admit, it looks good on you...I just don't understand why you're grinning like that."

"Well, Dom, some things happened while you were away last week," Hawke said, still grinning. "And things have changed between Caitlin and me." He smiled when he remembered how Caitlin had flown him back to the cabin after their meeting at the cemetery, and the toe-curling kiss they exchanged before she left. _I think _**my **_toes curled,_ Hawke said to himself as he heard Dom talking to him again.

"Changed? Is this...good change, or bad change?" Dom demanded, confused and concerned all at once. _I hope it's a good change,_ Dom said to himself.

"Guess that depends," Hawke said, and his grin turned decidedly mischievous, "on what you think about Caitlin and me. She—she came to Mom and Dad's graves on Thursday, Dom, and we talked. About a lot of things. Anyway, she told Mom and Dad that she loved me." Hawke watched his friend to gauge his reaction, and was not disappointed.

"_YEE-HAA!" _Dom shouted, then he realized something. "Wait a second...you said she told Alan and Jane that she loved you, but what did you tell _her?" _Dom demanded. _If you didn't tell her you love her too, String, so help me, I don't know what I'll do. __B__ut you won't like it! And we'll probably lose Cait forever, 'cause she'll be on the next plane back to Texas._ He glanced worriedly over at his younger surrogate son, and grew impatient as Hawke simply grinned back at him.

Finally, Hawke knew his surrogate father was getting angry. "I told her the truth, Dom," Hawke replied, smiling at his old friend. "I told her I love her, too."

"Well, all I can say is, goddammit, String, it's about time!" Dom stated as he set the chopper down. Once they were both out, Dom turned to Hawke and said, "I've gotta say, String, you've made an old man very happy today!" Dom engulfed his friend and younger surrogate son in a powerful, manly embrace.

"Not as happy as I am," Caitlin called out from the hangar as she saw String and Dom coming towards her. She jogged over to meet them and fell into String's waiting embrace, and they shared another deep and loving kiss.

"All right, all right!" Dom said gruffly, but Caitlin and Hawke could both read the glee in his expression. "Not too much of that mushy stuff around me. You'll give me cavities, with all that sweetness!" Inside, though, Dom's heart was singing. _Mamma Mia, it's a miracle!_ Dom said to himself, and included a silent prayer to Saint Jude, the patron saint of all hopeless people and causes.

"Sorry, Dom," Hawke said, still holding Caitlin close to him. "And we'll try not to embarrass you...too much," he said with a grin. "But.."

"I figured as much," Dom said with a grin of his own. "Just...oh, heck. I'm just happy for you two!"

"Thanks, Dom. And Mom's happy, too," Caitlin said. "We talked Thursday night, after everything happened."

"Well, I'm glad your mom is happy," String said. "But, I'm betting she's not as happy as we are."

"That's a bet you'd win," Caitlin said with her familiar impish grin. "I don't think anybody could be as happy as we are, Hawke." She gave him a quick kiss as they went back to work.

When they left that day, Hawke took Caitlin up to the cabin for dinner, so they could spend some time alone together. The longer they talked, the more Hawke realized just how much he loved Caitlin, and how much he had to make up for. Hawke tried repeatedly to apologize for his attitude the past year, but Caitlin would hear none of it.

"Hawke, it's okay," Caitlin told him when he dropped her back at her apartment that night. "I said it at the graves last week. I understand, and I forgive you. What happened before, well, it's in the past. All that matters now is that we know we love each other, and, we always will," she concluded, before giving him a passionate kiss.

"Yeah, Cait," Hawke replied. "We always will." By the time he'd returned to the cabin, Hawke was already missing her. _But it's too soon for that,_ he thought to himself. _Someday, __maybe, __we'll be spending our nights here, too. All in good time,_ he said to himself as he climbed into bed that night. _All in good time. _Something felt different to Hawke, as if a great burden had lifted from the air around the cabin. _Thanks, Mom and Dad,_ he said to himself. _Thank you for everything._


	2. Chapter 2

_Let Me In, _Chapter 2

A/N #1 – I don't own the characters...either Bellisario or Universal does. But since _they _won't play with these characters anymore, I do every now and then.

A/N #2 – This is an original idea, in a similar vein to _I Want To Help. _The events of _I Want To Help _have not occurred, but the time frame is some time after the S3 opener, _Horn of Plenty_. Events here occur approximately six months after the events in Chap. 1 – robertwnielsen

_Summary – _When Caitlin faces a family crisis, Hawke tries to be there for her, as she was for him in Chap. 1. What happens to their young relationship as a result?

"_Mom! How can you say something like that?" _Caitlin O'Shannessy shouted into the phone. It was Christmas Eve afternoon, and Caitlin's mother had called from Texas. Caitlin's co-workers, Dominic Santini and Stringfellow Hawke, came running towards the sound of her voice.

"Boy, her mommy's really upset," Dom said to Hawke. "Kinda ruins the spirit, y'know?"

"Yeah. Well, it can't be about _me, _anymore," Hawke said with a smile. He could still recall what had happened six months prior, when he found Caitlin at the gravestones of his parents, Alan and Jane Hawke, on the anniversary of the accident that killed them.

"That's true, String," Dom said with a smile. "Hey, you never told me...exactly what happened that day?"

Hawke smiled as he recounted the events that led to him and Caitlin finally getting together. His smile became more evident as he remembered Caitlin asking if he was going to introduce her to his parents.

"I can imagine what you must have been thinking," Dom said with a chuckle as Hawke glanced towards where Caitlin was still on the phone.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure how to handle that," Hawke admitted, forcing his attention back to Dominic, "but I finally did, and that's when everything came out. I still remember hearing Cait say, _'Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hawke. My name is Caitlin and—and I love your son. I've loved him ever since I met him, and I always will.' _I don't think anything has startled me quite as much as those words."

Dom tried to stifle his laughter, but was only partially successful. "String, I wish I could have seen that! What must your face have looked like?"

"I dunno, Dom," Hawke replied. "I didn't exactly have a camera available, you know."

"Yeah, I know. Still, it would have been funny to see. I gotta tell ya, life's sure been a lot happier since that day, String. I never thought the anniversary of your parents' death would turn out to be a _happy _occasion, but it did. Well, let's leave them alone," Dominic said as he tried to nudge String into the office.

Hawke, however, stayed within earshot of Cait. "Dom," Hawke whispered, "Whatever she's arguing with her mom about, I need to be there for Cait when it's over. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay, String," Dom muttered, realizing that Hawke was right. Caitlin _would_ need Hawke; would actually probably need _both _men, when whatever was going on was over. Hawke stood out of sight, but well within earshot as Caitlin spoke again.

"Mom. I know what you think about Daddy...but you're _wrong. _How you can even think something like that," Caitlin said, and Hawke could hear her voice beginning to waver. "Okay, Mom, yeah. Yes, Mom, I'm sorry I yelled at you, too. Listen, Mom...I'll call you later, okay? Okay, yeah. I love you too, Mom. Yeah. Merry Christmas, Mom. 'Bye." She slammed the phone down and began to cry.

Hawke stood in the background, not wanting to upset Caitlin, until he heard her sobs begin to quiet. He slipped up behind her and laid a hand gently on her shoulder. "You okay, Cait?" He asked in a soothing tone.

"No, String," Caitlin said, standing and throwing her arms around him. "I'm not okay. You wouldn't believe what Mom said to me just now. She—she actually said that _I'm _the reason that Daddy died, and today of all days..." Her voice broke again and she began sobbing against Hawke's shoulder.

_Why would your mother say something like that, Cait? _Hawke thought to himself, not wanting to disturb Caitlin at the moment. _Better to just let her cry it out, _he said to himself. _But we'll face it, together._

"Why would your mom think you were the reason your dad died, Cait?" Hawke asked her a few minutes later.

"I dunno, Hawke," Caitlin replied. "I mean, I know a little bit—Daddy didn't hold with me being so interested in flying. He was worried sick that I'd buy it in a helicopter crash. Boy, if he was around now," she laughed in spite of herself, and Hawke knew exactly what Caitlin was referring to.

_Yeah. If your dad knew about Airwolf, that _**definitely **_could have killed him,_ Hawke said to himself. Aloud, he said, "So, what are you gonna do about your mom?"

"I dunno, Hawke," Caitlin said again. "I mean, I know how upset she gets. Kinda like you were at the graves that day. I just can't understand why."

"Well, Cait, I think part of it is that your mom's worried about you, the same way all parents worry about their kids," Hawke said. "I mean, she wants to know that you're happy, and all that. And, I know how much she loved your dad from what you've told me. And, I can understand her being upset, today being what it is, and all." Of course, they both knew that today was Christmas Eve, and the anniversary of Caitlin's father's death.

"Has your mom been like that every year?" Hawke asked her. He couldn't imagine a parent being that bitter towards their youngest child.

"Some years are better than others, but yeah, she gets this way pretty much every year," Caitlin said as she wiped her eyes. "Another reason I've never been too keen on going home."

"Well, I can certainly appreciate that," Hawke said, and he meant it.

"Thanks, String," Caitlin said with a smile, the first real one he'd seen from her that day. He knew that she was worried about what would happen when she spoke to her mom, and had tried to be as supportive as possible, being there when she needed him, and giving her space when she needed that as well.

"Listen, Cait," Hawke began, not exactly sure where he was going. Finally, he plunged ahead. "Do you think you need to go have this out with your Mom? I mean, face-to-face, talk about this?"

"Well, maybe," she said, then her expression turned decidedly concerned. "But, only if..."

"You think I'd let you do something like that alone?" Hawke asked, incredulous. "Not very likely, lady. We'll do it together," he said with a smile.

"Thanks, String," Caitlin said and leaned into him. "I knew I could count on you."

"You guys leaving?" Dom demanded.

"Not yet," Hawke replied. "But we're probably going to go see Cait's mom...let them discuss this thing about her dad, you know?"

"What? Cait, what did your mom say to you, for heaven's sake?" Dom demanded. Caitlin recounted what had happened a few minutes ago, and when she finished, she could tell Dom was angry.

"Of all the..." Dom said, shaking his head. "I can't even say it. Especially on Christmas Eve. Well, you guys take all the time you need, whenever you decide to go. I don't want to see Caitlin moping around here upset, so go get this settled. Capice?"

"Yeah, Dom, we get it," Hawke replied, laughing.

"Hey, you guys want me to come along?"

"No, Dom," Cait replied. "I think String and I can handle this," she said with a smile, then added, "but thanks."

"Any time, Cait. Any time."

Hawke had managed to get a flight to Texas the next morning, and he and Caitlin headed down to see her mother. By the time they had picked up a rental car and were headed to the ranch, Hawke could already see Caitlin building her defenses against the onslaught that was coming. "Just remember, Cait, I'm right here with you," Hawke had said.

"Thanks, String," Caitlin replied. "I couldn't have done this alone."

"There's one thing I don't get, Cait," Hawke said. "Why would your dad have been worried about you dying in a helicopter crash? Wasn't he the one who taught you how to fly?"

"Yeah, he was," Caitlin admitted, "but he was still worried about it. I mean...I kinda pushed him into it, bugged him about it constantly. Finally, I threatened him—either _he_ taught me how to fly, or I'd find somebody else to do it. Well, he decided that, even though it bothered him that I wanted to learn to fly, he sure as heck wasn't gonna let somebody else teach me!"

"Makes sense when you explain it like that," Hawke replied as they approached the O'Shannessy ranch.

A few minutes later, they had arrived at the O'Shannessy ranch. Caitlin's sister, Erin, answered the door.

"Caitlin! What a surprise!" Erin shouted when she opened the door. "Why didn't you let Mom and me know you were coming?"

"I didn't know we were, until a few hours ago," Caitlin replied. "By the way, Erin, this is Stringfellow Hawke."

"So, you finally saw sense about my little sister?" Erin said, her green eyes boring into Hawke's. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." Caitlin had written Erin and told her what had happened at Hawke's parents' graves six months prior, and of course, Erin had overheard Caitlin's mom on the phone that night. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hawke."

"Please, Erin, call me String. Or Hawke. After all, that's what Cait calls me most of the time," he grinned at her. _Or at least, she called me that until recently,_ Hawke said to himself, knowing that Cait had been calling him 'String' more often since he'd admitted his feelings about her.

"Okay, String," Erin said with a smile.

"Erin, what the heck are you going on about..." Caitlin's mother came out of the kitchen just then, and noticed the new arrivals at the door. "Caitlin! What on Earth are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Mom," Caitlin began, and she felt Hawke's hand on her shoulder, and was relieved once again that he had come with her, "we need to talk about what you said yesterday. Do you have any idea how much that hurt me?"

"Listen, Cait," her mother began, "I'm sorry about what I said yesterday, because that wasn't fair. I mean, you know your daddy never held with you bein' so hooked on flying. Yeah, he taught you how to fly and all that, but he was worried about you just like I am. And yesterday being the anniversary, it just hit me that much harder, you know? You'd think it would stop hurting so much, after all, it has been a long time, but I guess it'll always hurt. Anyway, I was upset, Cait, and I took it out on you. In a way, though, we're lucky. I can only imagine what you becoming a cop would've done to your daddy," she continued, and Caitlin thought she saw the beginnings of a smile on her mother's face. "Especially after..." her mother hesitated a moment, then continued, "Not to mention the way that idiot Hawke fella treated you up until..." Caitlin tensed and glanced up at Hawke, who simply looked down at her, shook his head, and smiled. Just then, Caitlin's mother noticed the man standing behind her youngest daughter.

"Caitlin O'Shannessy!" she blurted out. "Have you forgotten everything your daddy and I taught you? When in the devil were you planning on introducing me to your friend?" Suddenly, Caitlin's mother remembered a picture she'd gotten from Caitlin, and turned a deep shade of red. "Oh, no. Caitlin, please tell me that this isn't..."

_I hate to do this to ya, Mom. __W__ell, actually, I don't. _"Sorry, Mom, but this is 'that idiot Hawke fella,' Stringfellow Hawke. String, this is my mother, Maggie." Caitlin said as her mother stepped forward, embarrassed.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Stringfellow Hawke," Caitlin's mother said, then she realized what she'd said just a few moments previously. "Oh, dang it. I'm sorry, Stringfellow. I let my mouth run away with me again, just like I did yesterday with Cait. I'm so sorry about that 'idiot Hawke fella' comment, Stringfellow, and I hope you can accept my apology."

"Mrs. O'Shannessy, up until six months ago, when it came to Caitlin, I was being an idiot, so, no apologies necessary," Hawke said with a smile. "No offense taken. And, please call me String."

"Well, that's good to know," Caitlin's mom said with a sigh of relief. "I take it that you heard Cait's end of the conversation yesterday, then?"

"Yeah, unfortunately, I did," Hawke admitted. "That's why I came with her. I wasn't going to let her come down here and deal with this alone."

"Well, I'm glad you came, String," her mother said with a smile as they all walked into the living room and sat down. "And, it gives me a chance to tell you how happy I am that you finally came to your senses about Caitlin, even if I don't quite understand it."

Hawke smiled as he recalled the day, six months prior, when Caitlin had shown up at his parents' graves. "I'll admit, it was the last thing I ever expected, not to mention the last place on Earth I ever expected it to happen," Hawke said as Erin came in with coffee for everyone, "but I'm glad it happened."

"So are we, String," Erin replied. "I'm sure Cait's told you how angry Mom and I used to get, when Mom read Cait's letters, talking about how you were completely ignoring her feelings. Let me tell you something—you're just darned lucky that Daddy _isn't _still here, 'cause he would not have taken kindly to the way you'd been treating Caitlin." Erin's eyes darkened, and Hawke could tell she was upset.

"I understand, Erin," Hawke replied with a disarming smile. "And I wouldn't blame him. And just so you know, I don't blame you or your mom, for how you felt about me. I was being incredibly stupid, ignoring Caitlin's feelings for as long as I did."

"Well, glad to see you can admit it, Stringfellow," Maggie replied.

"Mrs. O'Shannessy, I can promise you and Erin both something right now," Hawke said. "I will regret the way I treated Cait for the rest of my life. The good news is, that I'll have the rest of our lives to make it up to her," he noticed the expressions on both Erin and Maggie's faces when he said "the rest of our lives." _I suppose now's as good a time as any,_ Hawke said to himself, checking to see if the small box he'd left in his bomber jacket pocket was still there.

"Well, String, I'm glad to hear that," Maggie replied, barely able to contain her excitement after Hawke's 'the rest of _our_ lives' comment. "Does this mean that..."

"As a matter of fact," Hawke said, almost instinctively knowing what Maggie was referring to, and having planned for it. "I do have one other Christmas present I've been meaning to give Caitlin, and I guess now's as good a time as any."

Confused, Caitlin looked at him, and said, "String, what are you talking about? What do you mean you've got another Christmas present to..." She suddenly stopped as Hawke quickly stood up, reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out a small, maroon velvet box, and dropped to one knee as he held the open box towards Caitlin.

"Caitlin O'Shannessy, will you marry me?" Hawke asked.

"Oh, yes, String. Yes, I'll marry you!" Caitlin said through tears of joy which had erupted in her eyes. Hawke slipped the ring onto her hand, and they both stood up and shared a deep, passionate kiss.

"Congratulations, Cait!" Erin shouted as they separated. She quickly hugged her sister, then offered an embrace to Hawke as well.

"Thanks, Erin," Cait replied, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Stringfellow, welcome to our family," Maggie said, and Hawke noticed the tears in her own eyes. "And, thank you for allowing me to stop worrying about whether Cait would wind up alone." Maggie smiled as she embraced Hawke again. "Were you planning on doing this today?"

"Not exactly, Mrs. O'Shannessy," Hawke replied. "I mean, I have planned on asking Caitlin to marry me for a few weeks now, but today, it just _felt_ right. You know?"

"Yes, String. I do know," Maggie answered him. "But could you do me one favor, please?"

"Anything," Hawke replied.

"Okay. Can you stop calling me 'Mrs. O'Shannessy,' for Pete's sake?" She demanded with a smile. "That just sounds so danged formal, especially since you're gonna be part of this family," she continued. "So please, String, call me 'Maggie.' Or 'Mom' would be fine, you know."

"Okay, Maggie," Hawke replied. "You'll have to forgive me if I slip sometimes, though."

"I know, String," Maggie replied. "You haven't felt like part of a 'real' family for a long time, especially with your brother being gone, and everything. Well, doggone it, we'll just make you feel like part of this one!" They all shared a warm and loving embrace.

That night, String and Caitlin joined Erin and Maggie for Christmas dinner, which included all the trimmings. Hawke had already decided he would abandon his vegan habits, since the smells coming from Maggie's kitchen were too enticing to ignore.

"Well, String, this has certainly been a Christmas I'll never forget," Maggie said later that evening. "Now, we'll have to start planning your wedding!" Both String and Caitlin could see the excitement building in Maggie's eyes.

"Well, we've got time to figure all those details out," Hawke said with a smile. "But not _too _long. I want to marry Cait as soon as possible."

"Well, that makes me _very_ happy," Maggie replied. "I'm sure, not as happy as it makes Cait, though." She said with a smile directed towards her youngest daughter.

"You've got that right, Mom," Caitlin replied, still beaming. By the end of the evening, Maggie had insisted that Hawke and Caitlin stay at the ranch. Hawke immediately became concerned about arrangements, but Maggie took him aside and told him, "String, you and Caitlin are _engaged_ to be married now...I mean, we've got room if you don't want to, but I think it's okay if you stay together." She winked at him, to let him know she wasn't too concerned.

"Mom!" Caitlin shrieked, embarrassed. "You aren't thinking that we would..."

"Caitlin," her mother cut her off. "You and String _are _both adults. What you two do, especially now that you're engaged, ain't none of my business. Besides," she said, a twinkle in her eye, "didn't you tell me that..."

"_Mother!" _Caitlin shouted again, desperate to stop the train she knew her mother was on. _I know what I said six months ago, Mom, _Caitlin said to herself, _but you're right...it's none of your danged business._

Later, Hawke had a couple of questions that the evening's conversation had etched into his mind. "Cait," he began. "What did your mother mean when she said, 'Especially after...'? What happened?"

"Well, String," Caitlin began, "it was during a routine traffic stop. I was writing up the ticket—the guy was doing 80 in a 35—and the next thing I knew, he'd pulled a gun and shot me, right here," she took Hawke's hand and laid it against her chest, just above one of her breasts. "They say I almost—almost died on the table when they were trying to take out the bullet. That's what Mom meant." Caitlin finished.

"Wow," Hawke said in reply. "That must have scared your mom half to death. Why didn't..." He stopped, knowing what Caitlin would say if he finished his sentence. _I know why she never told us that before,_ Hawke said to himself. _We never asked. _

"Cait," Hawke said, and he was sure she could see the nerves in his eyes as he tried to address his second concern. "I can tell your mom made you nervous...and...about tonight...we don't...I mean...surely there's..."

"Geez, Hawke, why are you so tongue-tied all of a sudden?" Caitlin demanded, then she realized what he was worried about. _"Oh._ String, listen—it's like Mom said. We're engaged to be married, so I think it's okay if we share a bed. Besides," she grinned impishly at him. "you don't know this, but I have wanted you for _so long..." _She suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss, pulling their bodies close together. After what felt to Hawke like far too long, from the standpoint of breathing, Caitlin separated them and, when she had recovered her voice, she whispered, "And I don't—I don't want to wait, Hawke. I know we should, but..."

"I know, Caitlin," Hawke said, already working the buttons on her blouse, as she reached for the buttons of his shirt. They finished at the same time, which allowed Hawke a chance to reach behind Caitlin's back for the clasp of her bra, which joined their shirts on the floor a second later. Caitlin allowed Hawke to reach for the fastener of her pants first, stepping out of them when she felt them hit the floor, then reaching for the fastener of Hawke's pants. She'd known he didn't wear underwear, of course, and was mildly surprised when his erection came into view for the first time.

Finally, she allowed Hawke to pull her panties down and she stood before him. "Well?" she asked with a grin, twirling around like a Victoria's Secret model.

"Beautiful, Caitlin," Hawke whispered huskily as he picked her up and placed her gently on the bed. "Absolutely beautiful." He hesitated again, not sure if what they were about to do was truly what she wanted.

"Hey, String," Caitlin murmured, "there's no red flags in sight." She knew she was ready, and she had been for a long time. "Just...be gentle, okay? It's..."

"Your first time," Hawke said, smiling. "I know." He positioned himself at her entrance, and slowly entered her, surprised when he did not encounter the barrier he'd expected there. He hesitated, and Caitlin said, "Hawke, I grew up on horseback. That's why it's not there...don't worry, okay?" She knew what he'd expected, and was not surprised at his reaction.

They quickly fell into their own unique rhythm, Caitlin's pleasure-filled moans punctuating Hawke's every thrust. She wordlessly encouraged him to quicken his pace, knowing she couldn't last very long, and he complied eagerly. She felt her release a few moments later, which triggered Hawke's own, and he collapsed, spent.

Neither one moved for a few minutes, both relishing in the new direction their relationship had taken. Finally, Hawke looked into Caitlin's eyes, and whispered, "Wow."

Running a finger along his cheek, Caitlin smiled and said, "Yeah. Wow. That was..._amazing,_ Hawke." She found herself glad that they were in the room furthest from her mother's.

"Geez, Cait. I must be squashing you," Hawke said, becoming more confident in his voice.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and said, "Actually, String, I'm very comfortable right now," as she pulled his body close to hers again. "And extremely happy. Mom wasn't kidding when she said this was a Christmas she'd never forget. Because," Caitlin's eyes filled with tears as she finished her sentence, "neither will I."

"Still..." Hawke began, but was cut off when Caitlin pressed her lips against his. Finally, he withdrew from her, slowly, allowing Caitlin to enjoy every second. Sated, at least temporarily, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, Erin caught a glimpse of Caitlin's expression as she walked into her mother's kitchen. _Somebody had an interesting evening,_ Erin said to herself.

"Cait? Is there something you want to tell your big sister?" Erin asked, grinning. _As if that expression ain't a dead giveaway,_ Erin said to herself. _She's practically __**glowing,**__ she looks so danged happy._

"What?" Caitlin asked, hoping her expression hadn't completely betrayed her.

"What exactly...happened when you and Hawke went to bed last night?" Erin prodded.

"That's 'need to know,' sis. And _you don't." _Caitlin said, grinning.

"Says you," Erin pouted, but the twinkle in Caitlin's eyes, combined with the grin that was plastered all over her face, gave her older sister all the answer she needed. Just then, Maggie walked into the kitchen and found her daughters together.

"Morning, Cait...Erin," Maggie said, as she noticed Caitlin's expression quickly change. "Don't worry, Cait...I told you before...you and String are engaged now...anything that happened last night ain't none of my business."

Just then, Hawke entered the kitchen, noticing the stares from Caitlin's mom and Erin. "Morning, ladies," Hawke said, then turned to Caitlin. "And, good morning to you, Cait," he said, giving her a deep and loving kiss.

"M mm. Morning, String," Caitlin replied when they separated. "Breakfast should be ready in a few minutes." Caitlin walked out of the kitchen with Hawke, who noticed Erin's and Maggie's expressions.

"You think they know what happened last night?" Hawke asked worriedly.

"Oh, they know, String," Caitlin answered him. "But it doesn't matter, does it? After all, we love each other, and we're engaged to be married, so what we do is our business, not theirs." She smiled at him, a million-dollar smile that Hawke had long ago determined melted his heart.

"You're right, as usual," Hawke replied, curling one side of his mouth into a boyish grin.

After breakfast, Hawke and Caitlin decided it was time to leave, as they could still feel tension in the air.

"Oh, String, you and Caitlin can stay a few more days, can't you?" Maggie asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Listen, both of you. Cait's dad and I started sleeping together when we were your age. Heck, we _lived together_ before we got married, for Pete's sake, so will you two just relax? I certainly hope this is the last time we have this discussion, you two. 'Cause that kinda worryin' only gets you a lifetime full of bills!" Both Hawke and Caitlin started at her words.

"What'd I say?" Maggie asked, concerned.

"It's nothing, Maggie," Hawke assured her. "Dominic just told me the same thing a few months ago, that's all. We were just surprised to hear you say it." Hawke knew he couldn't tell Maggie exactly _why_ Dom had said it, though. _I don't want Maggie finding out about Airwolf,_ Hawke said to himself. _That would drive her nuts._

"Well, your friend Dominic is a right smart fella, then," Maggie said with a smile. "You sure I can't convince you two to stay?"

"Well, if you're sure it's not an inconvenience," Hawke said.

"Inconvenience? Hardly," Maggie laughed. "It's settled, then."

Hawke and Caitlin ended up staying for a week, ushering the New Year in with Erin and Maggie. Finally, a few days after New Year's, Hawke decided it was time to go home.

"We've sure had a great time having you here, String," Maggie said. "And we're looking forward to your wedding."

"Just don't keep us in suspense too long," Erin said.

"We won't," Caitlin promised as the four of them exchanged hugs. "We'll let you know as soon as we've made our decision."

On the way to the airport, Hawke said, "Well, we've certainly got a lot to tell Dom about."

"That's putting it _mildly,_ String," Caitlin said, gazing at her engagement ring. "Now, tell me the truth, String. Did you _really_ plan to pop the question like that?"

"Not exactly, no," Hawke replied as they approached the airport. "Like I told your mom, it just felt right. You know?"

"Yeah, Hawke," Caitlin sighed. "I do know."

A few days later, they returned to Santini Air.

"Welcome back, kids!" Dom exulted as they walked in the hangar. "Everything go okay with your mom, Cait?"

"Everything's fine, Dom," Caitlin replied, smiling. "Mom and I talked things out, and we're good."

"I'm glad, Cait. Glad to hear things worked out," Dom said. "Makes it almost worth it that you were gone so...long..." Dom's voice trailed off, as he became focused on something he hadn't seen before. _If I didn't know better, that looks like—__that's gotta be—a __figment of my imagination,_ Dom said to himself. _There's no way that String..._He forced himself to avert his glare, but something kept drawing his eyes to Caitlin's left hand.

"Dom? You okay? Something wrong with my hand?" Caitlin asked, noticing Dom's eyes were locked on her left hand.

"Cait, is that—I mean, did String...?"

"Dom. Pull yourself together. You're not making any sense," Caitlin said, then realized what was causing him to be so nervous. "Oh...you saw my ring. Well, Dom," Caitlin said, and the smile that erupted onto her face could have lit up the sky around the airport for the next three weeks as she said, "Yeah. We're getting married."

"Well, congratulations, both of you!" Dom grinned as he swept Caitlin and String into a huge embrace. The three friends laughed as they began discussing how the impromptu vacation had gone, and began making plans for the wedding.

**Five Months Later...**

String and Caitlin stood in front of Hawke's parents graves again, their simple gold wedding bands shining in the afternoon sunlight.

"Hi Mom. Hi Dad. It's me, String. And, Cait's here with me. We got married back in January, and we're pregnant too," Hawke said, stroking Caitlin's still-flat belly, their baby only being three months along. "And, there's someone else here with us."

"Hey, Mom and Dad," Saint John said, laying his hands on the gravestones. Hawke's older brother had been found about two weeks before String and Cait had gotten married, and had stood with String as his best man. "First of all, I'm sorry about being gone so long. You don't have a choice, really, when you're in the mess I was in. String and Cait's wedding was wonderful. I wish—I wish you two could have been there. Dom was great, until the judge asked who was giving away the bride. Dom forgot what he was supposed to say!" They all three laughed at the memory.

"Mom ended up doing it for him," Caitlin continued. "And, we promise, as soon as our child is old enough, we'll bring him or her to meet you both." String smiled at his wife, and nodded.

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad," Saint John said. "I'll help Dom keep an eye on String and Cait for you. They told me how they got together. I'm glad you were able to help String see the light." Saint John smiled as he recalled hearing the story of how Caitlin had told String that she loved him a year ago. The trio stood at the graves, and silently pondered their future.


	3. Chapter 3

_Let Me In, Chap. 3_

A/N #1 – I don't own the characters...either Bellisario or Universal does. But since _they _won't play with these characters anymore, I do every now and then.

A/N #2 – This is an original idea, in a similar vein to _I Want To Help. _The events of _I Want To Help _have not occurred, but the time frame is some time after the S3 opener, _Horn of Plenty_. Events in this chapter occur approximately seven years after the events of Chapter 2, and this chapter concludes this little story arc.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Sally Anne Hawke demanded. Her parents, Caitlin and Stringfellow Hawke, had been remarkably tight-lipped about their plans for the day, bundling their twin daughters into a Santini Air chopper at the cabin early in the morning, and heading for the hangar.

"Silly, don't you remember what today is?" Sally Anne's sister, Saoirse Marie, chided. "Today's the day we go visit Grandma and Grandpa Hawke. And we hear the story again." Ever since their daughters were four years old, Caitlin and String had been taking them to the graves of Stringfellow's parents, Alan and Jane Hawke. The kids hadn't really understood what was going on at first, but after a couple of years, they began to appreciate what their father had started doing for them.

"Oh, yeah," Sally Anne mumbled, and blushed a tiny bit. "I forgot."

"That's okay, Sally Anne," String said from the pilot's chair. "You're allowed to forget sometimes. After all, this only happens once a year."

"I know, Daddy, but you tell us the story a lot," Sally Anne responded, and String knew that she was right. _We do end up telling them that story a lot. Heck, it was their bedtime story for three years, and even now, they still ask for it almost every night. _

"Hi, Grandma. Hi Grandpa," Sally Anne said as String picked her up a few hours later, and allowed her to lay her small hands on top of the gravestones, as Caitlin did the same with Saoirse Marie. "We've tried to be real good this year, but we don't always make it."

"That's an understatement, Sally Anne," Caitlin said with a chuckle. She had lost count of the number of times her two daughters had been arguing, either with each other or with herself or String. But, she knew she wouldn't have her children any other way.

"Yeah, they do get on your nerves from time to time," Saint John chuckled. He and his son Le Van had met String, Caitlin, and the twins at the cemetery, as they'd done for the past few years. "That's usually when you pawn them off on me." He added with a grin.

"Oh, Sinj, you love those kids, and you know it," String chided his older brother. "And, I _know_ Le loves playing with his two cousins. They told me so."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool," Le replied. "But don't let that get around, huh? I've got a rep to protect, you know, Uncle String."

"Oh, I know, Le. Believe me, I know," String said with a smile as he turned back to the headstones.

"Mom, Dad, I wish you could've been here to see your grandkids. They're growing up to be the spitting images of their mother, at least in the looks department." String laughed as he recalled some pictures he'd seen of Caitlin when she was the same age as her children now. _They do look almost exactly like her,_ String said to himself.

"Yeah, but their attitudes—at least Saoirse's—that's all their father's," Cait chided her husband. Sally Anne was definitely the more outgoing of the Hawke children, while Saoirse Marie had developed her father's more introspective personality.

"Okay, okay, you made your point, Cait," Stringfellow said as he grinned at his wife. As he watched her with one of their daughters, an old incrimination rang through his head. _Why I continued to push her away for as long as I did, sometimes I wonder why she didn't pack up and head home. _He recalled many times that Caitlin had threatened to do exactly that—pack up her stuff and head back to Texas, because of his inability to see her as more than "just a friend."

"Hey, Uncle String, did you really tell Aunt Cait how you felt about her here?" Le demanded. "It just doesn't seem like this would have been the most—I dunno—romantic place to say something like that."

"Yeah, Le. It definitely wasn't the most romantic place, but I was standing right here. Cait had been hiding behind a tree listening to me talking to Mom and Dad..." Hawke got caught up in a memory as he began relating the story, and his daughters came over with Caitlin to listen.

"Mommy, were you _really_ angry at Daddy?" Sally Anne wanted to know.

"I don't think I was _angry _at first, Sally Anne, so much as I was concerned about him," Caitlin replied honestly. "But, the more I listened to him, yeah. I got angry," Caitlin admitted.

"Because he said you were just a 'good friend,' right?" Sally Anne asked.

"Yeah," Caitlin replied. "I just wanted to be so much more than that, and it hurt that your daddy couldn't see that."

"And you had no idea she was standing here?" Sally Anne asked, as the group walked over to the tree her mother had stood behind, those many years ago.

"Nope," String replied, embarrassed, as Caitlin reached for his hand. "I didn't know she was even here, until she came out a few minutes later. Boy, was I surprised," Hawke said as he continued the story.

"I remember that I had just said, 'If there was some way I could be sure...,' Hawke said, smiling at the memory, "and Mommy came out from behind this tree and confronted me. She said, 'If there was some way you could be sure about _what, _Hawke?' And her tone of voice made me nervous. More nervous than I've been in a long time." He smiled at Caitlin, and noticed she was smiling as she recalled the moment she confronted him about his feelings.

"I bet," Saoirse Marie piped up as String related the story of how Caitlin had revealed her presence to him. "Were you angry then, Mommy?"

"Yeah," Caitlin admitted with a sigh. "When your daddy said, 'If there was some way I could be sure...', I have to admit, it made me angry. That's when I decided he had to know I was here, and came out to confront him."

"Uh-oh, Daddy," Saoirse said. "Sounds like you were in a lot of trouble, like when Sally Anne and I fight and Mommy yells at us. Did she yell at you?"

"Sorta," Hawke said. "Mostly she just tried to get me to understand how she felt about me, like she had so many times before. But something was different that day. I dunno, maybe it was the spirits of Grandma and Grandpa talking to me, or maybe talking to Caitlin. Anyway, Mommy definitely raised her voice to me, and I have to admit, it got my attention," Hawke finished his sentence and smiled at his wife.

"Oh. Okay," Saoirse said, smiling. She and her sister both loved to hear this story, and it had become somewhat of a tradition for their parents to tell it every year when they visited the graves. "Daddy? Do you think Grandma and Grandpa heard the story?"

"I don't know, Saoirse," String replied. "But in any case, your Mommy sure got my attention." He smiled and slipped his arm around Caitlin as he recalled more of that day, especially the part where Caitlin had confessed her feelings about him. Mostly, Hawke remembered the expression on Caitlin's face, which had started off as terrified, then relaxed when she finally blurted out the confession that was burning in her heart.

"Man, Aunt Cait," Le said, "Weren't you scared about what you said?"

"You better believe I was scared," Caitlin told her nephew. "I didn't know what your uncle String was gonna do when he heard that confession. I think—I think his parents actually helped me decide to tell him. I remember I couldn't even say the words, and then I felt this—this peace, like everything was going to be fine, if I just said what was in my heart. I think it was String's parents telling me that it was all right."

"Well, whatever it was," Stringfellow said with a laugh, "It worked. Hearing that from Cait got through to me in a way nothing I'd heard before ever had. And believe me," he continued, "I'd heard _plenty_, from a lot of different people, about Caitlin."

"Yeah, Uncle String," Le said as he gave his uncle a playful shove. "Sally Anne and Saoirse told me that Dom bugged you a lot about Aunt Cait."

"That's an understatement, Le," String said as he grinned down at his nephew and thought about all the times Dom had bothered him about looking at Caitlin as something more than a friend. _And of course, Michael and Marella each put in their 2 cents (and more) worth, _Hawke said to himself before he continued, "There were times that I thought Dom was worried I'd—well—that I'd do something that he wouldn't like, because he kept bugging me about Caitlin."

"What would you have done, Uncle String?" Le demanded.

"I don't know," String said honestly. "I really don't know." He stopped again as he recalled Dom's reaction when he came to pick String up from the cabin on Monday morning.

"Was Grandpa Dom scared, Daddy?" Saoirse asked her father.

"Yeah, I think he was scared," String replied, "he was scared that I was mad at him, and he was worried about what I told your mommy. He was afraid that I hadn't told her how I felt."

"And what did you tell Aunt Cait, Uncle String?" Le demanded.

Laughing, String replied, "Dom asked me the same thing. I told him the truth—that I'd told Cait that I loved her, too."

"That's good," Le said. "I bet Auntie Cait would have been real mad at you if you had said something different."

"She probably wouldn't _be_ your Auntie Cait, Le," Saint John laughed, "because after she finished beating the heck out of your Uncle String, she probably would've headed home to Texas!"

"Your father's right, Le," Caitlin added, joining them. "If your Uncle String hadn't told me that he loved me, I woulda beat the heck out of him, then hightailed it back to Pope County. And he would've never seen me again."

"What, Cait? You don't think if that had happened, that Dominic wouldn't have tried to talk sense into my head, and convinced me to come after you?" String asked as he grinned at his wife.

"Well, he might have _tried, _String. But the question would be whether or not he got through to you." She grinned back at him.

"True," String admitted. "But I have a feeling that if I had done something that stupid, Dom wouldn't have left it alone until I went to Pope County and told you the truth," String finished. "He wanted to see us together almost as much as you or your mom did, you know."

"Hey, Daddy," Sally Anne piped up. "How come Grandpa Dom never comes with us?"

"I—I don't know, Sally Anne," String replied, surprised at his daughter's question. "Grandpa Dom knows he's welcome to come with us when we visit. I don't know why he never does."

"Well, maybe we oughta ask him, Daddy," Sally Anne replied.

"Yeah. Maybe we should," String answered his daughter, furrowing his brow in thought.

"What are you thinking, little brother?" Saint John asked.

"That Sally Anne's right, and Grandpa Dom should be here with us," String replied. "I mean, he was our father for so many years after Mom and Dad died, and he belongs here. You know?"

"Yeah, String. I do know. We'll talk to him about it later, okay?"

"Okay, Sinj," String replied, knowing that conversation would be extremely difficult. He never had understood why Dominic Santini, the man who had raised both himself and Saint John ever since their parents were killed, hadn't come with them for their yearly visit.

"Daddy, tell me again about when you asked Mommy to marry you," Saoirse Marie said.

"Yeah, Uncle String. I don't think I've heard that part of the story." Le replied, and he knew his father hadn't.

"Well, it was Christmas Eve afternoon. Your mommy and I had gone down to see Grandma Maggie, because she'd done something that made your mommy real upset," String told them.

"You mean, when Grandma Maggie said that Mommy caused Grandpa Patrick to die?" Saoirse asked.

"Yeah," String replied. "I could tell your mommy wasn't happy about what Grandma Maggie said, so we went down and visited her about it." He smiled again as he recalled what had happened, after Maggie had apologized to Caitlin about her remark.

"Mommy, did Grandma Maggie _really _say Daddy was an idiot?" Sally Anne wanted to know.

"Yeah, Sally Anne, she did," Caitlin replied, smiling. She could still see the look on her mother's face when she had said, _"Sorry, Mom. This is 'that idiot Hawke fella.'" _

"Was Grandma Maggie embarrassed, Mommy?" Sally Anne asked.

"I think embarrassed is being nice, Sally Anne," Caitlin said, and laughed lightly when String nodded. "As soon as I said, 'Sorry, Mom. This _is _that idiot Hawke fella,' her face turned redder than my hair, and she immediately apologized to your father. I just wasn't sure if Daddy would accept her apology."

"So, did you?" Sally Anne asked.

"Did I what?" Hawke replied.

"Did you accept Grandma Maggie's apology, Daddy?" Sally Anne demanded, placing her small hands on her hips, just like she'd seen her mother do.

"Of course I did," String replied. "But, I also told Grandma Maggie that there really wasn't any reason for her to apologize to me. Like I told her, up until that day here at the graves, I _had_ been being an idiot about Caitlin. So I didn't mind that she said it, and I told her so."

He smiled at Sally Anne and said, "You know, Sally Anne, you look exactly like your mommy when you do that." Caitlin had also noticed Sally Anne's gesture, and marveled silently at how much of her mannerisms she had passed on to her children.

"That's good that you weren't angry at Grandma Maggie, Daddy," Sally Anne told her father. "'Cause I bet she would have been real upset if you hadn't accepted her apology. And, thanks, Daddy," she said with an eerie reflection of Caitlin's own impish grin.

"I don't doubt that for a second, Sally Anne," Hawke replied, then continued the story, describing how he had proposed to Caitlin that afternoon. Sally Anne and Saoirse Marie listened in awe, even though they'd heard the story before. Le was hearing the story for the first time, however.

"And Mommy said yes," Caitlin picked up the story. "And we got married about a month later. Then the next year, we found out I was pregnant with you two," she added, smiling down at her daughters.

"I bet your mom and your sister were real excited, Auntie Cait," Le said, wanting to continue the story.

"Yeah, Le, they were," Cait replied. "Mom was so relieved when String finally proposed. She'd been worried for a long time that he'd never get any sense about me...let alone ask me to marry him. I thought Mom would have to go find your Uncle String and _beat _some sense into him!" She chuckled as she remembered how many times her mother had threatened to do exactly that.

"Daddy, why did Grandma Maggie call you an idiot?" Saoirse wanted to know.

"Like I said before, Saoirse, I had been an idiot about your mother for quite a while," String replied, and he knew it was the truth. "I mean, it took me almost two years to realize how I felt about your mommy, and she and your Grandma Maggie used to argue about it, and about me—_a lot,_" Hawke said, and shook his head when he recalled exactly how much Caitlin and Maggie had argued about him. "Your Grandma Maggie was just telling me how she felt, that's all."

"And that's why you weren't mad when she said it, right?" Saoirse asked.

"Right, Saoirse," Stringfellow replied. "Why would I be angry at Grandma Maggie for simply saying what she felt? I mean, she knew Cait and I were together, but she hadn't ever met me until then...and she was just telling your mommy and me how frustrated she had been about my attitude towards Mommy. And, I didn't blame Grandma Maggie for feeling the way she did. But, she's not mad at me anymore, Saoirse," Hawke said, and he was relieved that his relationship with Caitlin's mother was on a positive footing.

"Well, I'm happy she's not mad at you anymore, Daddy," Saoirse replied, holding out her arms for String to pick her up. "Now you love Mommy, and Mommy loves you. And that's all that matters."

"You're right, sweetheart," String replied, amazed at how mature his children were becoming for their age. "Now, we're a family, and we love each other, and that's all that matters." String felt Saoirse lay her head on his shoulder, and noticed Sally Anne doing the same thing with Caitlin.

"Well, kids, it's getting late, so I guess we better be going. Saint John, why don't you and Le meet us at the hangar, and we can talk to Dom?"

"Okay, String."

A few minutes later, everyone had arrived back at Santini Air, and were in the office. String looked at Dominic and said, "Dom, Sally Anne has a question she'd like to ask you."

"Grandpa Dom," Sally Anne began, "how come you never come with us to the graves? I think Grandpa Alan and Grandma Jane would like it if you came."

"Nah, Sally Anne," Dominic said, but she could see the questions in his eyes. "That's you guys' time. I'd—I'd just be in the way."

"Don't be ridiculous, Grandpa Dom," Sally Anne shot back, and placed her hands on her hips, just like she did at the graves earlier in the afternoon. "Didn't you tell me and Saoirse that Grandpa Alan was your best friend? And that you promised him that you'd look after Daddy and Uncle Saint John if anything happened to him and Grandma Jane? I think they'd like to see you, too," she finished.

"String, where does Sally Anne come up with these things?" Dom demanded, laughing. "Or, did you or Cait tell her to ask me that?" _Good grief,_ Dom said to himself, _Sally Anne looks just like Cait when she does that._

"She came up with this all on her own, Dom," Hawke answered him, "but, I think she's right. Look, Dom. You were like a father to Sinj and me after Mom and Dad died, and they know that. I think—I think Mom and Dad would like it if you came by. So, do us a favor and at least, think about it, for next year? I have to agree with Sally Anne—Mom and Dad would really like it if you came with us. After all, Dom, you're part of our family, too," Hawke finished.

"Okay, String. And you too, Sally Anne," Dom replied. "I'll—I'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay," Sally Anne replied, smiling. "I bet they'll be real happy if you come with us. You'll see, Grandpa Dom."

"Thanks, Sally Anne," Dom said, smiling down at her.

"You're welcome, Grandpa Dom," Sally Anne said, smiling back.

**One Year Later...**

"Hi, Grandma! Hi, Grandpa!" Sally Anne shouted as she led the family towards the gravestones. "Grandma Jane, Grandpa Alan, there's somebody here who wants to talk to you," she continued, then stepped aside.

"Alan, Jane, it's me, Dom," Dominic said as he laid his hands on the gravestones. "Sorry I haven't come and visited before, but I never thought it was the right time. Sally Anne actually gave me heck about it last year, so I decided I better come and see you both. You'd—you'd be real proud of those girls, Alan. I know you both would. They're growing up to be real fine young ladies, even if they do have their mother's temper." Dom added, and noticed Caitlin smiling.

"And you'd be even prouder of String and Saint John. They've both grown up to be wonderful men," Dom continued, pausing to wipe a tear out of his eye. Caitlin looked up at her husband and smiled, sliding closer to him as she noticed String smiling back.

"I don't know if Saint John's got anybody special, like String does. I suppose it'll happen for him, though, considering how long it took String to figure out his feelings, it wouldn't surprise me if Saint John takes a little while, too. But, he's got Le, and they seem to take good care of each other. As for me, I'm still plugging away at the hangar and keeping my eye on String, Saint John, and the kids." His expression turned decidedly somber again.

"I know I was a lousy friend, Alan, not coming to visit you all these years," Dom said as he wiped a tear from his eyes. "But I—I just couldn't. I always figured that was String's time, and I guess I forgot that I was as much his father as you were. I hope—I hope you can understand, Alan. It wasn't anything personal. I just didn't want to intrude."

Just then, the low-hanging clouds that were over the cemetery broke, and a ray of sunshine poked through, shining its light on the gravestones. Dom looked up, and saw the sky beginning to clear.

"I think Dad's telling you something," Saint John said, having walked up beside Dom.

"I think you're right, Sinj," Dom replied. "I think—I think he's tryin' to tell me that it's okay."

"Of course, it's okay, Dom," String replied, as Caitlin and their kids came up to stand with him. "Mom and Dad understand. And, they're glad you're here today. That's all they care about."

"Well, Grandpa Dom," Sally Anne said as she walked up to stand next to them, "I hate to say 'I told you so, ' but..."

"Yeah, Sally Anne," Dominic replied, "You did tell me so. I promise," he continued, raising one hand as if he were taking an oath, "I will never doubt you again."

"Good decision, Dom," Saint John said, laughing.

"Thanks, Sinj," Dom replied as the group stood in front of the graves—Hawke and Caitlin with their arms around each other, each holding the hand of one of their daughters, and Saint John and Le on the other side of Dominic. Together, the group stood in silence for a few moments before dispersing, and pondered the future.


End file.
